This invention relates to providing a system for improving the fuel mileage of a truck tractor (of the type typically used in combination with a semi-trailer, hereinafter simply referred to as a tractor), and semi-trailer combination by improving the air resistance that occurs in the area between the rear of the tractor and the front of the semi-trailer. The present invention improves the prior art by providing an improved roof panel extension system, which automatically raises the roof panel adjoining the tractor and the semi-trailer when the tractor is put into reverse gear. In addition, there is provided an improved wheel mechanism for the side panel extensions.
Typically, improvements to the airflow between the tractor cab portion and the semi-trailer portion relate to rigid or flexible extensions which are arranged to close the gap between the tractor cab portion and the semi-trailer portion. U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,448 discloses a device which provides a two-piece cab roof extender and multi-piece articulating side extenders to close the gap between the tractor cab portion and the semi-trailer portion. In addition, it discloses an automatic roof panel extender to raise the roof panel when the semi-trailer is being attached to the tractor by utilizing rotation of a cam-arm which is adjacent the fifth wheel mechanism and also utilizing a complicated cable and pulley arrangement to lift the cab roof portion. Further, the trailer portion requires a wear plate be mounted onto it to prevent the roof portion from wearing into the trailer top during transit. The cam and cable arrangement requires modifications to both the tractor and the semi-trailer. A problem with this arrangement is that should, during the coupling maneuver, the tractor back up towards the trailer and not connect with the cam-arm, the roof extension will not lift and the trailer will damage the roof extension.
A primary object and feature of the present invention is to provide a system for improving the fuel mileage of a tractor used in combination with a semi-trailer by improving the operation of the system controlling the panels that reduce air resistance in the area between the rear of the tractor and the front of the semi-trailer.
Another primary object and feature of the present invention is to provide a system for automatically raising the roof extension portion to sufficiently clear the semi-trailer anytime the tractor is placed in reverse gear, as typically occurs when the tractor is backing up to couple to the semi-trailer.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide such a system with an improved rotation mechanism for the side panel extensions as they rotate against the side of the semi-trailer.
It is yet a further primary object and feature of the present invention to provide such a system having a wear plate mounted only on the roof extension portion of the tractor.
A further primary object and feature of the present invention is to provide such a system which is efficient, inexpensive, and handy.
Other objects and features of this invention will become apparent with reference to the following descriptions.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a system for providing a raisable rear roof extension of a cab of an over-the-road tractor, of the type used with a semi-trailer and having a transmission with a reverse gear actuator, comprising, in combination: a roof extension structured and arranged to provide a rearward extension element at about the level of a roof of the cab; a roof extension support structured and arranged to support, in a normally substantially horizontal position, such roof extension from a rear portion of the cab, and permit such roof extension to swivel upward and rearward; and a powered piston system structured and arranged to extend at least one piston in such manner as to swivel such roof extension upward and rearward. It also provides such a system further comprising a switch system structured and arranged to activate such powered piston system. And, it provides such a system wherein such powered piston system comprises at least one pneumatically-actuated piston; wherein such powered piston system comprises a pneumatically-actuated piston; and wherein such powered piston system further comprises a pneumatic connection to such at least one pneumatically-actuated piston to supply pneumatic pressure.
Additionally, it provides such a system wherein such switch system comprises: a switch structured and arranged, in a first position, to activate such powered piston system; wherein such switch is also structured and arranged, when in a second position, to de-activate such powered piston system. Further, it provides such a system wherein such switch: is operable by the reverse gear actuator and is structured and arranged to be activated when the transmission is placed into reverse gear and to be deactivated when the transmission is placed out of reverse gear. Even further, it provides such a system wherein such switch system comprises: a switch structured and arranged, in a first position, to activate such pneumatic connection to such at least one pneumatically-actuated piston for supplying pneumatic pressure; wherein such switch is also structured and arranged, when in a second position, to de-activate such pneumatic connection to such at least one pneumatically actuated piston for supplying pneumatic pressure. Moreover, it provides such a system wherein such switch: is structured and arranged to be operable by the reverse gear actuator; and is structured and arranged to be activated when the transmission is placed into reverse gear and to be deactivated when the transmission is placed out of reverse gear. It also provides such a system wherein such roof extension support comprises at least one hinge. And, it provides such a system wherein such roof extension support further comprises at least one hinge. Even further, it provides such a system further comprising an instrument panel notifier having a light, wherein such light is activated when such switch is in such first position. Still further, it provides such a system wherein such roof extension comprises a. wear-plate structured and arranged to assist such roof extension to slide over a top of the semi-trailer when the semi-trailer is coupled to the tractor.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a system, for use with an over-the-road tractor of the type used to pull a semi-trailer, to assist turning operations and efficient air flow when substantially covering top and side gaps at a rear of the tractor (and in front of the semi-trailer), comprising, in combination: a tractor having a transmission with a reverse gear actuator; at least one side panel structured and arranged to be hingedly attached to such tractor to essentially cover each of the side gaps; at least one return spring attached to each such at least one side panel; and at least one rotator attached to a rear end of such at least one side panel, wherein such rotator is structured and arranged to assist a sliding of such rear of such side panel along a side of the semi-trailer; wherein such rotator comprises multiple sets of substantially different radii from a rotation-center of such rotator; a roof extension structured and arranged to provide a rearward extension element at about the level of a roof of the cab; a roof extension support structured and arranged to support, in a normally substantially horizontal position such roof extension from a rear portion of the cab, and permit such roof extension to swivel upward and rearward; and a powered piston system having at least one piston and structured and arranged to extend such piston in such manner as to swivel such roof extension upward and rearward.
It also provides such a system further comprising a switch system, attached solely to the tractor, structured and arranged to activate such piston. And, it provides such a system wherein such at least one rotator comprises a sprocket having a first central axis of rotation and multiple peripheral wheels each having a respective second axis of rotation. Further, it provides such a system wherein such sprocket comprises five such peripheral wheels. Even further, it provides such a system wherein such piston is pneumatically actuated. And further, it provides such a system further comprising a pneumatic connection to such at least one piston for supplying pneumatic pressure.
Additionally, it provides such a system wherein such switch system further comprises: a switch structured and arranged, in a first position, to activate such pneumatic connection to such pneumatically-actuated piston for supplying pneumatic pressure; wherein such switch is also structured and arranged, when in a second position, to de-activate such pneumatic connection to such pneumatically-actuated piston for supplying pneumatic pressure;. wherein such switch is structured and arranged to be operable by the reverse gear actuator; and wherein such switch is structured and arranged to be activated when the transmission is placed into reverse gear and to be deactivated when the transmission is placed out of reverse gear. It also provides such a system wherein such switch system further comprises: a switch structured and arranged, in a first position, to activate such piston; wherein such switch is also structured and arranged, when in a second position, to de-activate such piston; wherein such switch is structured and arranged to be operable by the reverse gear actuator; and wherein such switch is structured and arranged to be activated when the transmission is placed into reverse gear and to be deactivated when the transmission is placed out of reverse gear.
Even further, it provides such a system further comprising an instrument panel notifier having a light, wherein such light is activated when such switch is in such first position. And, it provides such a system wherein such roof extension support further comprises at least one hinge.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a system, for use with an over-the-road tractor of the type used to pull a semi-trailer, to assist turning operations and streamline functioning when closing the top and side gaps at the rear of the tractor (and in front of the semi-trailer), comprising, in combination: a tractor; at least one side panel structured and arranged to be hingedly attached to such tractor to essentially cover each of the side gaps; at least one return spring attached to each of such at least one side panels; and at least one rotator attached to the rear end of such at least one side panel, wherein such rotator is structured and arranged to assist a sliding of such rear of such side panel along a side of the semi-trailer; wherein such rotator comprises multiple sets of substantially different radii from a rotation-center of such rotator. Further, it provides such a system wherein such at least one rotator comprises a sprocket having a first central axis of rotation and multiple peripheral. wheels each having a respective second axis of rotation. And, it provides such a system wherein such sprocket comprises five such peripheral wheels.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a system for use with an over-the-road tractor of the type used to pull a semi-trailer, to assist turning operations and efficient air flow when substantially covering top and side gaps at a rear of the tractor (and in front of the semi-trailer), comprising, in combination: a tractor having a transmission with a reverse gear actuator and an air supply of compressed air; two side panels, each such side panel being respectively hingedly attached to such tractor to essentially cover each respective side gaps; at least one respective return spring attached to each respective side panel; and at least one rotator attached about every two vertical feet to each respective rear end of each respective such side panel wherein each such rotator is structured and arranged to assist a sliding of each such respective rear end of each such respective side panel along each respective side of the semi-trailer; wherein at least one such rotator comprises: a sprocket having five peripheral wheels, wherein such sprocket rotates around a first central axis and each respective such five peripheral wheels independently rotate around a respective second central axis, a roof extension comprising a rearward extension element at about the level of a roof of the cab; wherein such roof extension comprises a wear-plate structured and arranged to assist such roof extension to slide over a top of the semi-trailer when the semi-trailer is coupled to the tractor; and a roof extension support structured and arranged to support, in a normally substantially horizontal position such roof extension from a rear portion of the cab, and permit such roof extension to swivel upward and rearward, wherein such roof extension support comprises at least one hinge; and a pneumatically-powered piston system attached to such air supply, for supplying pneumatic pressure to such piston, of such tractor structured and arranged to extend at least one piston in such manner as to swivel such roof extension upward and rearward; and a switch system, attached solely to the tractor, structured and arranged to activate such pneumatically-powered piston system comprising, a switch structured and arranged, in a first position, to activate such pneumatically-actuated piston for supplying pneumatic pressure, wherein such switch is also structured and arranged, when in a second position, to de-activate such pneumatically-actuated piston for supplying pneumatic pressure, wherein such switch is structured and arranged to be operable by such reverse gear actuator, and wherein such switch is structured and arranged to be activated when such transmission is placed into a reverse gear and to be deactivated when such transmission is placed out of a reverse gear. It also provides such a system wherein such two side panels further comprise a rolled end portion structured and arranged to strengthen such two side panels and support such at least one rotator.
According to still another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a system for operation of a pneumatic system of an over-the-road tractor comprising, in combination: a tractor having a transmission with a reverse gear actuator and having a pneumatic air supply; a switch system structured and arranged to be: operable by such reverse gear actuator and activated when such transmission is placed into a reverse gear and deactivated when such transmission is placed out of a reverse gear.